Passing
Game Thoughts: This will be a make or break year for Tony
Romo in the eyes of many Cowboy fans and perhaps Cowboy management
as well. While Romo has statistically been one of the better QBs
in the league during his years as a starter, his team has generally
disappointed. Whether you consider it fair or not, the burden
of disappointment usually falls on the QB’s shoulders. Romo
is mobile in the pocket and has one of the quickest releases in
the league allowing him to function behind what is a less than
stellar o-line in front of him. When all are healthy, he has one
of the best group of pass catchers, led by Miles Austin, Dez Bryant
and Jason Witten. Unfortunately for Romo, none of his targets
have been healthy this offseason. Austin (hamstring) and Bryant
(knee) have been back in practice this week and are expected to
play, but unfortunately Jason Witten, who suffered a lacerated
spleen is likely to miss the opening contest. Second year TE Jason
Phillips would start in Witten’s place, but rookie James
Hana may see some action as well. Neither is a recommended starter
for your fantasy team. There was a battle for the WR3 spot all
offseason with veteran Kevin Ogletree coming out ahead, but he
really didn’t separate himself from rookie Cole Beasley
and the explosive Dwayne Harris, so it will be tough to count
on Ogletree for consistent production. When healthy, Bryant has
by all accounts looked uncoverable in practices, and Austin has
always been a Romo favorite. Both should be excellent starts against
a once again suspect Giants’ secondary.

The Giants were prone to giving up big plays in the passing game
last season, finishing the year as the 29th ranked pass defense.
They allowed 255.1 yards per game and 28 TDs through the air.
The team played much better pass defense as the season wore on
however, once DC Perry Fewell decided to abandon the complicated
coverages he was trying to install and simplified the defensive
schemes. It also helped that Justin Tuck got healthy and the Giants’
vaunted pass rush (33 sacks on the season) stepped up big time.
DE Jason Pierre-Paul played like a beast in 2011 and with Tuck
healthy and Umenyiora happy, it’s will once again be very
difficult for opposing teams to keep their QB’s pocket clean.
The problem however is in the secondary, where an already weak
unit has been hit by injuries. Terrell Thomas is once again on
IR, and second year CB Prince Amukamara is expected to miss at
least the first week, leaving journeyman Michael Coe a likely
target to attack for Romo and the ‘Boys.

Running Game Thoughts: Second year
RB DeMarco Murray should be one of the few valuable bell cow type
backs still left in the league. A broken ankle brought his impressive
rookie season to an end last year, just as it was getting started,
but by all accounts he’s fully healed and ready to pick
up where he left off. According to Fox Sports Matt Mosley, Murray
was "the most impressive offensive player to watch in training
camp" and HC Jason Garrett has stated that he will be a major
part of the offense. As an adept pass catcher and a powerful inside
runner Murray should be a true three-down back which should lead
to impressive statistics in a high powered offense. Felix Jones
should spell Murray on occasion and should be a fine handcuff
for Murray owners. Other than his injury history, the only other
thing potentially holding Murray back is that the Cowboys' interior
offensive line has struggled in the preseason, but Murray has
shown an ability at times to cut upfield and make something out
of nothing.

The Giants’ run defense allowed 121.3 ypg and 15 rushing
TDs on the ground during the 2011 regular season, placing them
19th in the NFL. At times they looked like a decent unit, but
for the most part their front seven talent was more suited for
getting to the QB than for stopping the run. Veterans Michael
Boley and Kenny Phillips will need to stay healthy in order to
keep the Giant run defense respectable this season.

Passing
Game Thoughts: Eli Manning was one of about 5 QBs that
put up an MVP caliber season in 2011. Manning was amazingly cool
in pressure situations and led the Giants to several comeback
wins. He finished the year with just under 5,000 yards passing
and 29 passing TDs. Second year WR Victor Cruz broke out against
Nnamdi Asomugha and the Eagles in Week Three and from there went
on to be one the most surprising players in the league. Cruz finished
third in the league in with 1,536 receiving yards and scored 9
TDs. He is tremendously quick and is a skilled runner after the
catch. He showed an amazing tendency to make big plays out of
nothing - like his 99 yard TD reception against the Jets where
he caught a short pass between two defenders, broke through and
was off to the races down the sideline avoiding a diving attempt
by safety Erik Smith along the way. WR Hakeem Nicks (76-1192-7)
was somewhat of disappointment to those that drafted him, as injuries
and some untimely drops led to the former Tarheel not reaching
the lofty expectations thrust upon him by most prognosticators
during the preseason. During the playoffs though, he was a dominant
force breaking the 100-yard mark in three out of his four games.
He’s poised to have a tremendous year. The Giants seemingly
have a new TE every season, and this time its former Cowboy Martellus
Bennett – who may be the most skilled TE the team has had
in years. His floor should be the 604 yards and 4 TDs that the
solid but unspectacular Jake Ballard put up last season, but his
ceiling could be closer to 850 yards and double the amount of
TDs. The rest of the pass catchers should be solid, but off the
fantasy radar. Veteran Domenik Hixon was named as the WR3, but
rookie Reuben Randall and second year receiver Jerrel Jernigan
should see some time in that slot as well.

The Cowboys pass defense was not very good last season, allowing
244.1 ypg and 24 TDs. Their defensive backs had trouble staying
healthy and were inconsistent at best. To rectify this problem
the team signed UFA Brandon Carr and drafted the talented Morris
Clairborne with their first round pick. On paper, this should
be a vast improvement. The most important player on the defensive
side of the ball, however, is outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware
who in his first seven seasons trails only Reggie White for most
sacks (during that seven year time frame) in NFL history. Ware’s
quickness will most likely be a problem for journeyman LT Sean
Locklear forcing the Giants to keep Bennett or RB Ahmad Bradshaw
into block on passing downs.

Running Game Thoughts: Ahmad Bradshaw
is supposedly 100% recovered from his cracked foot after taking
injections into said foot this offseason – but he’s
had chronic foot injures throughout his career. When healthy he
is one of the most well rounded running backs in the league. He
has big play potential as a runner and pass catcher and the strength
to gain the difficult inside yards as well. The issue though has
been his inability to stay completely healthy, and his foot may
never allow him to run completely pain free. On the positive side,
Brandon Jacobs is gone, which should mean more goal-line carries
for Bradshaw. However, the Giants did spend a first round pick
of Virginia Tech product David Wilson who runs a lot like Bradshaw
only faster and more explosive, so Bradshaw will likely still
split carries with another back. Wilson is a powerful back that
led the nation in yards after contact during the 2011 NCAA season,
despite being only 205 pounds. Wilson’s pass protection
will relegate him to only being used to spell Bradshaw on a few
running plays early in the season, but keep an eye on carry distribution
as the season wears on.

The Cowboys were the No. 7 ranked rushing defense last season,
but could be without NT Jay Ratliffe to start 2012. While Ratliffe
is undersized for the position, he’s a disruptive force
and would be missed should he not play. Linebacker Sean Lee lead
the team in tackles last season and is a guy the Giants will need
to get a helmet on if/when they try and sweep the ball to the
outside, as his pursuit is top notch. In a game that could be
a shoot-out, this matchup of the Giants running game against the
Cowboys defense could be an under-rated factor that comes into
play more than one might expect.

Passing
Game Thoughts: All eyes will be on Andrew Luck as he makes
his first regular season start as a pro. Luck looked like a seasoned
vet for most of the preseason, finishing 40 of 64 (62.5%) for
514 yards with three touchdowns and two picks. In his first regular-season
game, however, Luck will face starters all game long and will
have to deal with the pressure of the spotlight being on him in
a road game. While the Bears finished last season ranked among
the league’s worst defenses in passing yards allowed, they
do know how to put pressure on the quarterback and will test a
below-average Colts offensive line. The Colts look to be a pass-heavy
team, but the preseason can be deceiving, so we will have to see
how it plays out to start the season. Reggie Wayne should be their
most targeted WR, but the rest of the pecking order is yet to
be determined since Austin Collie is banged up and decent contributions
have been made this preseason by Donnie Avery, T.Y. Hilton, LaVon
Brazill, Coby Fleener, and Dwayne Allen. From a fantasy perspective,
starting any Indy WR other than Wayne is a big risk until we see
who emerges as Luck’s favorite targets.

Running Game Thoughts: The Colts backfield is already one of the
league’s worst, especially from a fantasy perspective, and
it could be very ugly this week as they face one of the top five
run defenses from last year. Donald Brown had a decent preseason
but is far from explosive, and while he should get the bulk of
the work, he will probably need a touchdown to make him starter-worthy
in this game. Behind Brown, the depth isn’t exciting; Delonte
Carter is banged up and Vick Ballard is an underwhelming talent
in a bad matchup. If the Colts get behind early, which is very
possible considering their defense, the running game may be entirely
abandoned by the second half. Unless Brown gets that aforementioned
touchdown—or a good amount of check-down receptions—this
is probably a fantasy situation to avoid entirely.

Passing Game Thoughts: With some
new weapons and a new offensive coordinator, it will be interesting
to see how the Bears offense looks in this first regular-season
game. Jay Cutler hasn’t shown great accuracy this preseason
but has put up decent yardage totals and some big plays in limited
action. With his new/old best friend, Brandon Marshall, Cutler
finally has a true No. 1 wide receiver in Chicago, and he should
target Marshall early and often against the Colts' mediocre defensive
backs. While the Indianapolis defense is nowhere near great, they
do have a few playmakers that can pressure Cutler behind his porous
offensive line, so I would not expect a historic day from the
Bears passing game. Much like the Colts receivers, the Bears wideouts
(other than Marshall) are pretty much a mystery for fantasy purposes.
It will probably take a few weeks before we know who Cutler’s
real second and third options are, so it is best to avoid all
other Chicago receivers until further notice.

Running Game Thoughts: The Colts rushing defense was one of the
absolute worst last season, and there is little reason to expect
otherwise this year. Matt Forte is one of the better running backs
in the league and should be pounding the rock all day, as the
Bears are expected to win this game without much trouble. Look
for Forte to get a healthy amount of touches both on the ground
and through the air, probably as Cutler’s second option
on passing downs. Backup Michael Bush might be a sneaky flex play,
as he should get a fair share of work, some of it possibly near
the goal line. If the Bears get out to an early lead, as I expect
they might, Forte and Bush should become the fantasy stars of
this game.

Passing Game Thoughts: The Jaguars
had the worst passing attack in the NFL last year thanks to an
inferior receiving corps and an ineffective rookie quarterback.
The Vikings pass defense was below average on the whole, although
they did manage to tie for the lead league in sacks. On paper,
the Jags should be better this year thanks to a full year (and
an offseason) under Blaine Gabbert’s belt and an improved
group of receivers, led by first-round pick Justin Blackmon and
newly acquired Laurent Robinson. But there are new questions:
Has Gabbert improved after his awful rookie campaign? Will the
pass offense gel quickly? And will the new receivers prove their
worth? In limited preseason action, Gabbert looked better than
last season but far from good. And it does look as though Blackmon
will be the team leader in targets right from the start. From
a fantasy standpoint, Gabbert should be nowhere near your starting
lineup. And unless you want to gamble on Blackmon right away as
maybe a WR3, the Jags passing offense is near irrelevant in fantasy
right now, even in a decent matchup against the Vikings' subpar
pass defense.

Running Game Thoughts:
While the Jags will probably put up some decent rushing numbers
in this game, it is a dangerous situation to get involved in from
a fantasy perspective. Everyone knows that MJD held out for most
of the preseason, but he will play in this game. The Vikings run
defense was one of the league’s better units last year,
holding opponents to less than four yards per carry. With MJD
and Rashad Jennings, the Jaguars should still lean heavily on
the run game, and both players should see a good amount of action.
The issue here is how the running back workload will be split
up, thus making it a risky play to start one of these runners
over the other. The word from Jacksonville is that MJD will be
used more to spell Jennings this first week, but Jones-Drew is
clearly the more talented back and will be hard to keep on the
sidelines if he shows he is in mid-season form already. If you
have to start one or the other, go with Jennings, but don't be
surprised if there is more of a 50-50 split this first week.

Passing Game Thoughts: While the
Vikings did not put up great passing numbers last year (28th in
pass yards), there is reason to believe improvement is on its
way. First, they improved their offensive line by drafting Matt
Kalil in the first round, giving them what should be their franchise
left tackle. Second, Christian Ponder has had a full offseason
as the starting quarterback and has looked improved as a passer
and a leader. With the addition of Jerome Simpson (suspended this
game), the near-elite talent of Percy Harvin, and the development
of Kyle Rudolph, Ponder should have some decent weapons to throw
to. Despite their poor record, the Jacksonville pass defense was
actually above average last year, ranking in the top 10 in total
yards allowed. The good news for the Vikings, however, is that
both Harvin and Rudolph will present mismatches throughout the
game. From a fantasy standpoint, Ponder has some upside here but
not enough to be a starter in 12-team or smaller leagues. Both
Harvin and Rudolph should see plenty of targets, so both are recommended
in this matchup.

Running Game Thoughts: The Vikings' run game resembles the Jaguars'
in that they are both going to be hard to predict this first week.
While Adrian Peterson will most likely dress, and is clearly the
superior talent, Toby Gerhart is expected to get the bulk of the
work. The Jacksonville run defense was surprisingly stout last
season, also ranking in the top 10 in rush yards allowed. Watch
the injury report closely in this one. If AP is ruled out, Gerhart
becomes a very safe start. The water gets much murkier if he is
splitting reps with Peterson.

Passing Game Thoughts: It’s
no secret that the Eagles love to pass the ball. And with the
weapons they have, why wouldn’t they? A healthy Jeremy Maclin,
a happier DeSean Jackson, a talented LeSean McCoy, and a nice
compliment of other veteran pass-catchers make this passing offense
one of the best in the league. And while this matchup looks incredible
on paper for fantasy purposes, there are reasons to expect only
a good—not great—day. For one, the Browns pass defense
is legit, as in second best last year in pass yards allowed. Second,
the Eagles may lean a little more on the run to protect a still-sore
Mike Vick from taking hit too many times. Third, the Eagles should
dominate most phases of this game and therefore get up early and
become more conservative as the game goes on. I’d still
start Vick, Maclin, Jackson, and maybe even Celek, but don’t
expect a ridiculous amount of fantasy points this week.

Running Game Thoughts: Only two teams last year averaged more
yards per carry than the Eagles, and only one team scored more
rushing touchdowns. Add this to the fact that the Browns gave
up the third most rushing yards in the league, and you have the
recipe for a huge day on the ground for the Eagles. While the
depth behind McCoy is still a big question mark as far as talent
and playing time, there is no question that, when given the rock,
McCoy knows what to do with it. Look for the Eagles running game
to be churning on all cylinders Sunday, and just hope you’re
not playing a LeSean McCoy owner this first week.

Passing Game Thoughts: Last year
the Browns passing game was a mess. They were one of the worst
10 teams in passing yards and were second worst in yards per attempt.
Even after spending draft picks to help the passing game, this
year’s Browns will probably not strike fear into most pass
defenses, at least not yet. While they have some legitimate talent
in quarterback Brandon Weeden, wide receivers Greg Little and
Josh Gordon, and tight end Jordan Cameron, they are all very raw,
inexperienced players. The Eagles pass defense was far from elite
last year, but they certainly have some elite playmakers in the
secondary and some guys up front that can pressure the quarterback
(tied for lead league in sacks in 2011). While the Browns may
be forced to air it out in this game, don’t expect big fantasy
numbers from any member of their passing offense, and don’t
start any of them until we know who (if anyone) will emerge as
a consistent fantasy threat.

Running Game Thoughts: While the Browns run game may actually
be a source of good fantasy production through the course of the
season, proceed with caution this week. Since Trent Richardson’s
status is still up in the air, we don't really know how the backfield
workload will be split up against the Eagles' average rush defense.
The word is that Richardson will play, but there are serious doubts
that he will get a heavy workload in his first real NFL action.
Behind Richardson, Brandon Jackson and Montario Hardesty are average
talents, and neither has asserted himself as a viable RB2 thus
far. If you drafted Richardson and it is verified that he is playing,
you have to start him, but expect low-end RB3 numbers rather than
the low-end RB1 numbers you expected when you drafted him.

Passing Game Thoughts: The Rams
passing offense was horrible last year, ranking 30th in pass yards
and dead last in passing touchdowns. The Lions pass defense was
mediocre, but they do have the personnel to wreak havoc on an
already weak offensive line. Add this all to the fact that the
Rams still do not have a proven playmaker at wide receiver, and
you have the makings of a pretty lousy pass offense for fantasy
purposes. While Sam Bradford does finally look healthy, and the
quantity of passes should be there in a game that will probably
see the Lions go up big early, don't look for a lot of fantasy
points in this facet of this particular game. I would not play
Bradford or any Rams WRs this week, with perhaps the exception
of Amendola in a PPR league. Wait to see after this game whether
Bradford has progressed enough to make this offense fantasy relevant
again.

Running Game Thoughts: While the
Rams have a decent set of running backs this year, they may have
to abandon the run after halftime if Detroit scores the way many
think they will in this game. The good news for Steven Jackson
owners is that he is still the Rams' best offensive player, so
he should be involved all game long, one way or another. If the
Rams do manage to keep the game close, the good news continues
for SJax owners, as the Lions defense gave up a healthy 5.0 yards
per carry last year. We might be saying this a lot this year (again),
but on a lackluster St. Louis offense, Steven Jackson looks like
the only safe fantasy start at this point.

Passing
Game Thoughts: Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!
The Lions have one of the most exciting and explosive passing
offenses in the league, plus they are healthy and they are playing
at home. In other words, look out Rams! While St. Louis did rank
in the top 10 in passing yards allowed last year, and they do
have a decent defensive front, they will simply be overmatched
by the Detroit receivers. With perhaps the best wide receiver
in the game (Calvin Johnson), an up-and-coming explosive force
(Titus Young), a savvy veteran (Nate Burleson), and a consistent
tight end (Brandon Pettigrew), Matt Stafford should be able to
pick and choose the open man each week. And hosting the Rams should
prove one of his better matchups. It should be a no brainer to
start Stafford and Johnson, but I would say Young and Pettigrew
are also safe starts this week as decent WR3 and low-end TE1 options.

Running Game Thoughts: Because the
Rams have a difficult time stopping the run, and because the Lions
should be up big at home, you would think a huge day is coming
from the Lions backfield...but not so fast. While the final rushing
numbers in this game may look decent, remember that Kevin Smith
is the Lions' only eligible running back right now that is healthy
and trustworthy. No offense to Smith, he can be good in limited
action, but he is injury-prone and not a true workhorse type,
so his upside is limited even in a juicy matchup like this. Look
for the Lions to spell Smith with backups (mostly Keiland Williams)
and lean heavily on the pass like they did all of last year. I
would still start Smith in this game, but even though the matchup
may say he is an RB1, I would expect more of an RB2 performance.

Passing Game Thoughts: There are
a couple of things that are holding back the Niners passing offense
from being really productive from a fantasy standpoint, namely
Alex Smith and the coach’s game plan. While the team certainly
boasts some talented playmakers in the passing game (Randy Moss,
Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham), the conservative
approach set forth by Coach Harbaugh calls for a lot of running,
with the occasional 10-yard pass attempt mixed in. The lack of
elite arm strength and a hesitancy to go deep by Smith does not
help matters either. While the Packers actually ranked dead last
a year ago in pass yards allowed, they do have a number of playmakers
on defense and actually ranked first in interceptions (by eight
picks more than the next team!). Other than the usually reliable
Davis, I would advise benching all other San Fran passing game
members until another WR separates himself from the pack, or until
the team shows a tendency to be a little less vanilla and a little
more aggressive.

Running Game Thoughts: The good news for the 49ers in the run
game is that only two teams attempted more runs than they did
last year, and they finished eighth in run yardage. The somewhat
bad news is that they only managed 4.1 yards per carry (tied for
19th in NFL) and ranked just 12th (tied) in rushing touchdowns
despite all those carries and yards. In other words, the 49ers
win their games with defense, special teams, and some old-school
smashmouth football. For entertainment purposes this is fine,
but it makes for a pretty boring fantasy team. Since this game
should be close, look for Frank Gore—and to some extent,
Kendall Hunter—to get their share of touches on offense,
just don’t expect either to carry your fantasy team against
a relatively stout Packers run defense.

Passing Game Thoughts: There are
few quarterbacks in the league who can sling it like Aaron Rodgers,
and having one of the league’s best receiving corps doesn’t
hurt Green Bay either. The Packers ranked third in the league
in passing yardage last year and first in both yards per pass
and passing touchdowns. With everyone on offense healthy and with
still no dominant run game to speak of, look for the Pack to come
out firing through the air, especially since the 49ers' biggest
strength is their run defense. I would easily start Rodgers, Jennings,
Nelson, and Finley in this game and expect each to contribute
in a pretty big way. This, by the way, will probably be a trend
this year.

Running Game Thoughts: With the signing of Cedric Benson, the
Packers finally have a big name in the backfield. The problem
is that Benson is far from elite, he has been with the team only
a short while, and the 49ers will most likely be near or at the
top of all run defenses in the league once again. They gave up
less than 80 yards on the ground per game in 2011 and just three
rushing touchdowns all of last year, both tops in the NFL. Add
this to the fact that the Packers should be pass-heavy anyway,
and you have a fantasy situation to avoid completely, unless you
have no other option. Benson may have a few nice games this year,
but this won't be one of them.

Passing Game Thoughts: The Bengals
pass offense can be summed up in one word: Young. They are led
by a second-year quarterback (Dalton), a second-year wide receiver
(Green), a third-year tight end (Gresham), and probably a rookie
wide receiver (Sanu). The defense they are facing is not only
experienced, they were one of the top 5 pass defenses last year.
While the Bengals do have some playmakers, most notably A.J. Green,
it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize this is not a favorable
matchup. Dalton, who faded a bit the last half of the 2011 season,
has not looked much better this preseason and still lacks a proven
playmaker to throw to opposite Green. The results against the
Ravens last year were mixed. In those two games, Dalton did manage
to throw for 602 combined yards, but he threw three picks to just
one touchdown. The only guy worth starting in this pass game is
Green, and even he may struggle with constant double teams.

Running Game Thoughts: It's hard to tell whether the Bengals upgraded
their running attack this season, but if they did, it wasn't by
much. After letting 2011 starter Cedric Benson walk, they signed
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who put up decent numbers in the Patriots
explosive offense but is far from an elite talent. The only other
guy in the backfield who may get some touches is Brian Leonard
(Bernard Scott is out), who is a marginal talent to begin with.
The bad news for the Bengals is that they will be going against
a run defenses that let up a league-low (tied) 3.5 yards per carry
last year. With no real breakaway homerun threat in the Bengals'
running back stable, do not expect big fantasy numbers on the
ground. If you’re going to start BJGE (you could do worse),
you'll have to hope for a goal-line touchdown. The Ravens do not
give up a lot of yards on the ground, period.

Passing Game Thoughts: People have
been waiting for Joe Flacco to have that breakout year since the
season following his impressive rookie campaign, and this just
may be the start of it. The Ravens have an emerging explosive
talent in Torrey Smith, a wily consistent veteran in Anquan Boldin,
and one of the best pass-catchers out of the backfield in Ray
Rice. They apparently have opened up the playbook, included more
no-huddle, and given Flacco full control of the offense, so we
will soon see if this passing offense can live up to its potential.
With the Bengals' first-round pick (defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick)
out, the Baltimore wide receivers should be able to get open—even
if the Bengals pass defense was in the top 10 last year. Look
for the Ravens to put up very respectable numbers through the
air, although certainly not on par with some of the more pass-happy
teams around the league. Flacco and Smith are both very startable
in this matchup as decent QB2 and WR2 options.

Running Game Thoughts: The Ravens running game once again carried
their offense last year, finishing 10th in total rushing yards.
With Ray Rice to hand the ball to, there is no doubt they will
lean on the run again, but perhaps not as much as in years past.
The Bengals do have a fairly stout run defense, ranking in the
league’s top 10 last year while holding opposing running
backs to less than four yards per carry. While Baltimore drafted
Bernard Pierce to take some of the pressure off Ray Rice and lighten
his workload, he has shown little this preseason and will likely
not be much of a contributor anytime soon. Start Rice, as always,
with confidence.

Passing Game Thoughts: Tom Brady
was no worse than the fifth quarterback taken in fantasy drafts,
though almost certainly higher. He was second in the league in
passing yards last season, and fourth in touchdown throws, and
this season has been reunited with offensive coordinator Josh
McDaniels. Brady still has Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron
Hernandez to throw to, but added a new weapon in Brandon Lloyd,
who has had great success with McDaniels, so the Patriots passing
game will remain elite.

They face the Titans in Week 1, and Tennessee was solid against
the pass in 2011, ranking 14th in passing yards allowed while
giving up the 12th-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs and the
fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs, but the eighth-most
fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: With the law firm – BenJarvus Ellis-Green
– having moved on to Cincinnati, the Patriots should employ
a dual-back set with Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. But Vereen
is injured and has missed practice, so Ridley is likely to be
the workhorse for this week.

Ridley will go up against a Tennessee defense that was 24th in
rushing yards allowed last season while allowing the ninth-most
fantasy points to opposing RBs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Second-year
pro Jake Locker takes over under center for the Titans this season,
and his arm and athleticism has made him a popular target as a
backup for fantasy owners. Locker will be without Kenny Britt
against the Patriots, but he’ll still throw to capable pass-catchers,
most notably rookie Kendall Wright and tight end Jared Cook, who
seems primed for a breakout season.

The Patriots were 31st – or second to last – in passing
yards allowed last season, but allowed the second-most fantasy
points to opposing QBs and the most fantasy points to WRs. They
did manage to hold TEs in check, giving up the third-fewest fantasy
points to players at that position.

Running Game Thoughts: Chris Johnson returns as the Titans top
rusher, and a top-five fantasy option at the position. Even though
he ran for over 1,000 yards in 2011, Johnson was hot and cold
last season, with 10 games of less than 60 rushing yards, but
a trifecta of games with at least 130.

Johnson shouldn’t have a huge challenge this week, as he
faces what was an average New England run defense in 2011. They
were 17th in rushing defense last year and allowed the 12th-fewest
fantasy points to opposing RBs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Robert Griffin
III makes his regular season debut, and it comes in a hostile
venue in New Orleans. There have been mixed feelings from fantasy
owners about who will have a better rookie season – he or
Andrew Luck, but don’t look for either to do what Cam Newton
did last year. That’s especially true because Griffin has
no Steve Smith-type to throw to. His best weapon is tight end
Fred Davis, who should turn into an elite fantasy option at tight
end now that Chris Cooley is no longer around.

Only two teams allowed more passing yards than the Saints last
season, who also gave up the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing
QBs, the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing WRs, but the 12th-fewest
fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: There is
no more frustrating coach in the NFL to fantasy owners than Mike
Shanahan. Running backs are like napkins to him – once he
feels they’ve lost their usefulness, it’s on to the
next one. Fantasy owners were atwitter about Roy Helu this offseason,
but he’s not even the top back on the ‘Skins depth
chart right now. We still think he’ll get most of the work,
though. Sorry, but Evan Royster just doesn’t do much for
us.

Whoever will lead the Washington rushing attack faces a New Orleans
team that was 12th in rushing yards allowed last season while
allowing the 13th-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Saints quarterback
Drew Brees led the NFL with 46 touchdown throws and nearly 5,500
passing yards in 2011. He’ll be without play-caller and
head coach Sean Payton this year, but we aren’t sure that’ll
make much of a difference in his stats. Brees still has a load
of weapons to throw to, with tight end Jimmy Graham leading the
way, as well as top wideout Marques Colston, wideout Lance Moore
and running back Darren Sproles.

The Redskins have a big challenge ahead of them against the Saints,
but they were solid against the pass last season, ranking 12th
in pass defense while also ranking 16th in fantasy points allowed
to opposing QBs. Washington allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy
points to opposing WRs, but the third-most fantasy points to opposing
TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: Once again,
the Saints will employ a multi-faceted running attack. Sproles
will get his share of runs but is most effective catching the
ball, while Pierre Thomas will do a bit of both, and Mark Ingram
will be used mostly as a runner. It’s a conundrum for fantasy
owners on who to employ in their lineups on a weekly basis, but
the safest bet should usually be Sproles, and that goes for this
week as well.

Passing Game Thoughts: The Dolphins
are one of five NFL teams starting a rookie under center this
week, and though Ryan Tannehill was with offensive coordinator
Mike Sherman last year at Texas A&M, this isn’t the
Big 12, and success shouldn’t be immediate. If he had any
weapons whatsoever to throw to, we’d be a little more enthused,
but the Fins have the worst collection of pass-catchers in the
league.

Those receivers and tight ends will be tested mightily by Houston.
Just two teams allowed fewer passing yards than the Texans in
2011, who also gave up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing
QBs, 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs, and fourth-fewest
fantasy points to opposing TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: Miami got a great season out of Reggie
Bush last year, as he ranked 11th in the NFL in rushing yards
at just over 1,000, while also scoring six times on the ground
and catching 43 passes. He floundered against the Texans in Week
3 of last season however, rushing for only 18 yards and catching
one pass, gaining nine feet in the process.

Bush wasn’t alone in being held down by the Texans. They
had the fourth-best run defense in the league last year and only
the 49ers gave up fewer fantasy points to running backs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Houston quarterback
Matt Schaub was having a good year in 2011 before getting hurt,
having thrown for nearly 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games.
His main target is wideout Andre Johnson, who fantasy owners would
love to see get through a season totally healthy. A rookie that
those owners should keep an eye on is Keshawn Martin, who had
a very impressive preseason.

Schaub shouldn’t have a big challenge against the Dolphins,
who were 25th in passing yards allowed last season, allowed the
10th-most fantasy points to opposing QBs, the 10th-most fantasy
points to opposing WRs, and the 14th-most fantasy points to opposing
TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: If Arian Foster wasn’t the first
player taken in your fantasy draft, he almost certainly didn’t
make it out of the top three. Despite missing three games last
season, he was fifth in the league with over 1,200 rushing yards
and scored 10 times, and also had over 600 receiving yards.

Foster and his backup, Ben Tate, will be tested by the Dolphins,
who had the No. 3 run defense in the league in 2011 and gave up
the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Cam Newton
had a remarkable rookie season in 2011, and some of that came
at the expense of the Buccaneers. In two games against his division
foe last season, Newton threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns
while rushing for 119 yards and another four scores. He still
has wideout Steve Smith to throw to, and tight end Greg Olsen
should see his numbers increase now that Jeremy Shockey is gone.

Tampa was 21st in passing yards allowed last season, gave up the
fourth-most fantasy points to opposing QBs, were 16th in fantasy
points allowed to opposing WRs, and 14th in fantasy points given
up to opposing TEs.

Running Game Thoughts: Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams
return to the Carolina backfield to drive fantasy owners crazy,
as there is no telling which one will be the more productive on
any given day. Each can run the ball and is a threat to catch
the ball out of the backfield, but if last year is any indication,
Stewart will have the better game in Week 1, as he ran for 188
yards and a score in two games against Tampa last season, while
Williams ran for only 82 yards.

The Bucs were dreadful against the run last season, ranking dead
last in rushing defense last while also allowing the most fantasy
points in the league to opposing running backs.

Passing Game Thoughts: Plain and
simple, Josh Freeman stunk last season, throwing 15 touchdowns
and 22 interceptions. He should be better this season now that
Vincent Jackson is in the fold, and he wasn’t bad against
the Panthers in 2011, with two touchdowns and two picks while
throwing for 473 yards in a pair of games against them.

Running Game Thoughts: LeGarrette Blount ran for 781 yards a season
ago, but he killed fantasy owners way too often, with seven games
of fewer than 35 rushing yards. Doug Martin was the team’s
first-round pick, and will be Tampa’s feature back. He adds
a pass-catching threat out of the backfield that Blount was incapable
of, and is a solid RB2 this week when you consider how bad the
Panthers were against the run in 2011.

Carolina was 25th in rushing yards allowed last season and allowed
the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Passing Game Thoughts: The Atlanta
passing game is expected to be one of the most dynamic, high-powered
attacks in the league this year. The addition of rookie Julio
Jones last season made a big splash, as the always consistent
Roddy White finally had a counterpart who could pull coverage
away from him and exploit the single coverage that often comes
when lining up opposite one of the league’s top pass-catchers.

Matt Ryan set a career-best in both passing yards and passing
touchdowns in 2011, and it's believed he will only expand on those
numbers in 2012. That starts with a game against a Kansas City
Chiefs defense that lost Brandon Carr, their best cornerback from
a year ago, to Dallas in free agency. The Chiefs will have safety
Eric Berry back from injury to start the season, but he will likely
have his hands full with future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez.
It will be interesting to see how effective the Chiefs are in
slowing down perhaps the league’s top one-two punch at wide
receiver.

Running Game Thoughts: Though the days of Michael Turner being
a top 5 fantasy back are likely in the past, the rumors of the
Burner’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The 247-pound
tailback notched double-digit touchdowns for his fourth straight
season as a Falcon and turned in over 1,300 yards rushing for
the third time during that span. Jacquizz Rodgers has stepped
in to spell Turner on some third down situations, as he notched
21 receptions in limited time during his 2011 rookie campaign.
His value is mostly in PPR formats for the time being, but if
Turner does start to slow down, look for the Falcons to lean even
more on their passing game, which could lead to additional opportunities
for the 5’6” back.

Though the Chiefs performed relatively well against the pass
in 2011, their run defense certainly left something to be desired.
They were eighth worst in rushing touchdowns allowed to running
backs, and they had one of the easiest schedules in the league
in that regard.

Passing
Game Thoughts: After an injury cut Matt Cassel’s
season short midway through 2011, the Chiefs passing offense spiraled
into mediocrity. Even perennial top 10 wideout Dwayne Bowe saw
a drop-off in his stats, as he failed to reach 100 yards in any
game after his quarterback went down and caught only one touchdown
after Week 9. Cassel is not an elite option at quarterback, but
he does make the Chiefs offense significantly better than what
we saw down the stretch last season.

Though they don’t have the big names that some of the other
top secondaries do, the Falcons were a solid pass defense in 2011,
having held opposing quarterbacks to two or fewer touchdown passes
in all but two games. Expect Kansas City to move the ball through
the air, but a big game from Cassel and the receivers probably
isn’t in the cards for Week 1.

Running Game Thoughts: One of the biggest hit-or-miss players
of this fantasy football season could be Kansas City running back
Jamaal Charles, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week
2 last year. Charles was coming off a monster year and was a consensus
top 5 fantasy pick, thus inspiring major hate from unlucky owners
who lost their first-round pick so early in the season. The addition
of Peyton Hillis could cut into Charles’ touches in 2012,
but he should still be the guy unless he proves that he is no
longer capable of carrying a full load.

As good as the Falcons were against the pass in 2011, their run
defense was even more impressive. Atlanta ranked sixth in the
league in points surrendered to opposing backs. They held opponents
to under 100 rushing yards in 11 of 16 games, even holding five
of those teams to under 50 yards. Kansas City has two solid backs,
but they will likely struggle to hold the Falcons offense in check,
which could mean that Charles and Hillis touch the ball less in
Week 1 than they will throughout most of the rest of the season.

Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Flynn
was expected to take over as the team’s top quarterback
when the Seahawks signed him in free agency, thus removing Tarvaris
Jackson from the equation. Though the second part of that came
true, we recently learned that rookie quarterback Russell Wilson
will actually start the season atop Seattle's quarterback depth
chart.

The Seahawks passing attack lacks the big-name weapons that would
make Wilson an obvious fantasy starter so early into his career,
but with a healthy Sidney Rice back in the lineup, there could
be some sleeper potential against a Cardinals defense that has
been known over the years to give up big games to opposing quarterbacks.
Still, given the inexperience of Wilson, it’s hard to believe
that Pete Carroll will feel comfortable completely handing over
the reigns to his rookie quarterback, so look for the Seattle
offense to be fairly conservative in Week 1.

Running Game Thoughts: One of the biggest surprises of the 2011
fantasy season has to be the emergence of Marshawn Lynch. Though
no one questioned that he had the talent to be a productive fantasy
back, Lynch struggled mightily to be a consistent, top fantasy
producer during his time in Buffalo and never reached double-digit
touchdowns in his first five seasons in the league. Lynch finally
got over that plateau in Seattle, though, rushing for career-bests
in both yardage (1,204) and touchdowns (12). Monitor the injury
report over the weekend as Lynch is questionable with backs spasms.
Robert Turbin would get the start if Lynch can't go.

Arizona’s defense was actually fairly solid in slowing
down opposing running backs through the air last season, with
a league-best 326 yards and zero touchdowns allowed out of the
backfield. When it came to actually stopping the ground game,
however, they weren’t quite as effective, having allowed
12 touchdowns and over 1,700 yards to opposing backs. Given Lynch’s
effectiveness on the ground—and lack of it as a receiver—in
addition to his having a rookie quarterback playing in front of
him, he should be in for a nice day against the Cardinals.

Passing
Game Thoughts: There might not be a worse quarterback situation
in the NFC than that of the Arizona Cardinals, who will start
the season with John Skelton behind center after Kevin Kolb failed
again to impress coaches. Though Skelton has one of the best offensive
weapons in the league to throw to in Larry Fitzgerald, it’s
hard to believe that he has any real fantasy value other than
in two-quarterback leagues. Even then, he’s probably a low-end
option.

The ineffectiveness of the Cardinals passing game could be multiplied
this week as they go up against one of the best passing defenses
from a year ago, the Seahawks. Seattle held opposing quarterbacks
to just 17 touchdowns on the year while intercepting an impressive
22 passes. Though Skelton did throw for 271 yards in his one game
against the Seahawks in 2011, he had only one touchdown and threw
a pick. Expect a somewhat similar performance in Week 1.

Running Game Thoughts: The Cardinals offense has a lot to work
on, much of which stems from a painfully deficient offensive line
that failed to give Beanie Wells much to work with in 2011. Though
Wells himself has a lot to work on when it comes to pure skills
as a runner, it’s hard to be very impressive when you’re
constantly getting hit in the backfield. Wells made it to the
100-yard mark just twice in 2011, and with the addition of Ryan
Williams to the backfield mix, his numbers will likely slump further
in 2012.

Wells missed two full games last year, both of which were against
the Seahawks, so we have to go all the way back to 2010 to analyze
the last time the former Ohio State Buckeye played against Seattle.
And it wasn't pretty. In his last game against the Seahawks, Wells
rushed for just 54 yards and caught zero passes, though he did
get into the end zone. Unless the Cardinals get down close to
the goal line and need to punch in a short yardage touchdown,
it’s hard to believe that he’s going to have many
opportunities to do even that in Week 1.

Passing Game Thoughts: For awhile,
it looked as though the Steelers might be without their top threat
at wide receiver, Mike Wallace, as the speedster held out the
majority of the preseason in an effort to get a new contract.
Now that he is back on the field and ready to play in Week 1,
the Pittsburgh passing game will be in full effect, as a healthy
Ben Roethlisberger is always a threat for a big game.

He’ll have a good chance in Week 1, too, as the Broncos
were one of the league’s worst pass defenses in 2011, allowing
opposing quarterbacks to throw 24 touchdowns while they intercepted
just nine passes on the year. Given the addition of Peyton Manning
to the Broncos offense, there should be even more incentive for
opponents to score quickly through the air on the Denver defense
this season. Look for Roethlisberger to air the ball out quite
a bit to try to keep up with what could be a high-powered Denver
passing game.

Running Game Thoughts: With Rashard Mendenhall still recovering
from a knee injury he suffered late last season, the Steelers
running game will rest on the shoulders of Isaac Redman and Jonathan
Dwyer in the early goings. However, neither has the kind of talent
it takes to be a top fantasy back, and given the split backfield
and Redman’s nagging injuries, it's even more unlikely that
either is in store for a big game in Week 1.

After having one of the worst run defenses in the league in 2010,
the Broncos bounced back (to an extent) in 2011, turning in a
middle-of-the-pack performance. Though they did allow more than
1,700 yards on the ground to opposing backs, the five rushing
touchdowns they allowed on the year was among the very best in
the league and makes it even more difficult to trust Redman or
Dwyer in Week 1.

Passing
Game Thoughts: As fun as Tim Tebow was to watch, everyone
in Denver is significantly more comfortable with a future Hall
of Famer behind center than with a guy who has completed less
than 50 percent of his passes as a pro. Peyton Manning was the
biggest story of the offseason and one of the biggest free-agency
acquisitions in the history of the league. Given Denver’s
investment in wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker,
as well as the acquisition of Manning’s former teammates,
Jacob Tamme and Brandon Stokley, it’s safe to assume that
the run-heavy offense of 2011 is a thing of the past.

Manning and the Broncos passing game will be tested right off
the bat as they go up against one of the top pass defenses from
a year ago. The black and gold have been perhaps the best defense
of the past decade, but they haven’t had much work against
Manning. It’ll be interesting to see just how game-ready
Peyton is for the regular season.

Running Game Thoughts: After putting together the league’s
best rushing attack in 2011, much on the legs of Tim Tebow, look
for the Broncos to scale back the running game a bit in 2012 as
they opt to give Peyton Manning full control of the offense. Willis
McGahee could still have some nice value as an RB2, but the chances
for him to reach the 100-yard mark, as he did seven times in 2011,
will be few and far between.

There may not be a better, more consistent run-stopping defense
in the AFC than the Steelers. Pittsburgh allowed just seven total
touchdowns to opposing backs during the entire 2011 campaign,
and while Willis McGahee had a career resurgence last year, he's
unlikely to break through the Steel Curtain for a big game in
Week 1.

Passing
Game Thoughts: Philip Rivers took a step back in 2011 after
nearly establishing himself as an elite quarterback over the previous
three seasons. Rivers tossed a career-worst 20 interceptions while
throwing just 27 touchdowns—his worst total since the 2007
season. Although most expect a bounce-back season from the nine-year
veteran, the loss of Vincent Jackson this offseason could mean
a less dynamic passing attack for the Chargers as a whole.

Once considered one of the most difficult teams to pass on in
the league, the loss of Nnamdi Asomugha has quickly turned the
Raiders into one of the worst secondaries. The black and silver
allowed a ridiculous 31 touchdowns through the air in 2011 and
had just one game where they held the opposing quarterback without
a score. Philip Rivers threw five touchdowns against them in two
games in 2011, so expect a nice game from him this week.

Running Game Thoughts: Is there a more injury-prone back in the
league than Ryan Mathews? After missing six starts and being knocked
out early in numerous games throughout his first two seasons as
a pro, Mathews continued the trend quickly this year by breaking
his collarbone before the regular season even began. With Mathews
out, the Chargers will turn to journeyman back Ronnie Brown, who
has actually looked decent in the preseason even though he hasn’t
seen significant work since 2010.

As bad as the Raiders were against the pass in 2011, they didn’t
fair much better against the run, as opponents repeatedly had
their way with a weak Oakland defensive line. Runners averaged
nearly five yards per carry against the Raiders. The Chargers
running backs alone beat them up to the tune of 278 total yards
and a pair of touchdowns in 2011. Though Ronnie Brown is not Mike
Tolbert or Ryan Mathews, he may be a decent start this week if
you’re a Mathews owner who was smart enough to handcuff
him.

Passing
Game Thoughts: After trading what essentially amounted
to the world for Carson Palmer, the Raiders did see a noticeable
improvement in their passing game during the final 10 games of
the 2011 season. Unfortunately, it came with the side effect of
16 interceptions during that short period. As talented as Palmer
is, his mental game just doesn’t appear to be there anymore,
and with young receivers like Denarius Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey
catching passes from him, Palmer needs to be more accurate and
less of a risk-taker if he hopes to return to anywhere near his
prime in Cincinnati.

The good news is, he’ll get a chance to start off strong
against a team he lit up in 2011. In two of his better performances
last year, Palmer threw for a total of 716 yards and four touchdowns
with two interceptions against the division rival Chargers.

Running Game Thoughts: With Michael Bush now in Chicago and out
of the picture, the backfield has opened up for one of the league’s
most talented backs, Darren McFadden. Now the only question is
whether he can stay healthy while taking on a full-time workload.
If he can, Run-DMC has the potential to be not only one of the
most explosive backs in the league, but perhaps one of the top
fantasy scorers.

Though he missed both games against the Chargers in 2011, McFadden
has been effective against them in the past, and the Raiders ran
for nearly 200 yards against them in Week 10 without McFadden.
San Diego isn’t a bad run defense, but they’re not
particularly great either. If they don’t get out to an early
lead, the Chargers could have a tough time keeping No. 25 in check
for an entire ballgame.

Passing
Game Thoughts: For the second season in a row Ryan Fitzpatrick
got off to a hot start then faded in the second half of the season.
Last year the Buffalo brass blamed it on a rib injury suffered
in Week 8, however Fitzpatrick was clearly struggling before that
contest. He signed a rather large contract extension right before
his swoon, so for better or for worse the Bills will be married
to him for a while. The team quickly swooped up Tarvaris Jackson
after he was released by Seattle, but if he’s the answer,
I don’t even want to know the question. Stevie Johnson is
on the verge of stardom but has been banged up this offseason
following groin surgery and is still feeling the effects. He’s
been the only WR over the past two seasons however who has managed
to have any significant success against Jets CB Darrell Revis.
He’ll look to continue that trend on Sunday if he plays.
Last season the coaching staff was attempting to turn C.J. Spiller
into a slot WR thinking he would help with depth at the position
with his quickness and agility, but after Fred Jackson’s
injury they needed to move him back to RB, and he proved his worth.
David Nelson and Donald Jones make up the other 2/3 of the Bills
top three wideouts. They are both big bodies with decent speed
but have not shown any consistency during their brief careers.
You have better options. TE Scott Chandler will likely not see
many fantasy starting lineups since he’s generally drafted
as a backup, if at all, but the Jets have struggled mightily trying
to defend TEs over the last two seasons, so he could find some
success.

Stevie Johnson must beware of Revis Island, but as previously
stated he is not a “must bench” in this difficult
matchup. Johnson had 3 receptions for 84 yards in Buffalo and
8 catches for 75 yards and a TD at the Meadowlands – although
some of that success came at the expense of Antonio Cromartie.
As stated, the Jets have famously struggled in trying to cover
TEs and slot receivers the last couple of seasons, but did upgrade
at the safety position signing LeRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell,
who are upgrades against the run and in pass coverage from Erik
Smith and Jim Leonard who started at safety for the Jets last
season. The Jets added DE Quinton Couples in the draft to help
bolster the team’s pass rush. Second year players Kenrick
Ellis and Muhammad Wilkerson, along with reclamation project OLB
Aaron Maybin, have looked good this preseason and have the ability
to put pressure on opposing QBs without the need to constantly
blitz.

Running Game Thoughts: Fred Jackson was having an MVP caliber
season before breaking his leg in Week 10. Jackson accumulated
nearly 1,400 total yards and 6 TDs in those 10 weeks and should
once again be a big part of the Bills offense, even at age 31.
C.J. Spiller picked up the slack once Jackson went down and showed
why the Bills spent a top-10 pick on him. Spiller has great speed,
and can turn a corner quickly. The Bills o-line showed vast improvement
last season, but will have a tough match up trying to run inside
with the Jets interior linemen, Sione Po’uha and Mike DeVito,
and linebackers Bart Scott and David Harris.

The Jets’ run defense was a strong suit in 2010 and a major
disappointment in 2011. They did show improvement after a bad
start to the season however. As previously stated the Jets did
add two hard-hitting run stuffing safeties and could be a top
unit against the run once again if they can stay healthy. The
talent is there for this to be one of the top defenses overall
in the league this year.

Passing
Game Thoughts: Jets fans grew frustrated with Mark Sanchez
last season, as instead of making strides after leading the team
to two consecutive AFC Championship games, he regressed in many
ways. Sanchez began the year looking much improved, but after
getting beat to a pulp by the Ravens in Week 4, Sanchez looked
shell-shocked for the rest of the season. He showed little pocket
presence and made maddeningly poor decisions. As a result, the
coaching staff became hesitant to unleash the passing game, and
the Jets rarely, if ever, took shots downfield This preseason
the Jets famously failed to score a TD over their first three
games, but all may not be as bleak as every media pundit has lead
us to believe. Outside of a terrible pick six against the Giants
in game two,Sanchez actually looked sharp (completing 70% of his
passes) and attacked downfield despite being without most of his
supporting cast in the passing game. Santonio Holmes will need
to shut his mouth in order for this passing game to have any semblance
effectiveness. While probably not a true No. 1 WR, Holmes does
have great speed and quicks and is a dependable pass catcher.
Gone is Plaxico Burress and in steps second round pick Stephen
Hill. Hill is a massive WR with tremendous speed but is very raw,
coming out of a read-option offense in Georgia Tech and is being
prematurely forced into the starting lineup due to a lack of options.
Jeremy Kerley was effective as a rookie but has missed most of
training camp and will likely be no more than a possession slot
receiver over the course of his career. Chaz Schilens has spent
more time in the trainer’s room than on the field during
his career and that trend continued during the preseason. TE Dustin
Keller will likely remain Sanchez’ most dependable target.
He’s expected to play this Sunday, despite leaving the third
preseason game with a hamstring injury. He’s not a bad option
for those that punted on TE during their draft.

The Bills were the 19th ranked pass defense in 2011 after allowing
232.0 ypg. They also allowed the third most passing TDs in the
league with 30, but continued to be opportunistic grabbing 20
interceptions. The biggest news this offseason for the Bills was
the addition of DE Mario Williams who is one of the top pure pass
rushers in the league and should help make the Bills a better
unit right away. He’ll be lining up across the inexperienced
Austin Howard who is massive in size but raw in technique. He
did look far better than turnstile Wayne Hunter who was the starting
RT last season before being shipped off to St. Louis in a deal
for former No. 2 overall pick, OT Jason Smith. Mark Sanchez can
be sloppy with the ball, and if he continues that trend, the Bills’
could get off to a fast start in a season where most prognosticators
like their playoff chances. It’s always possible that a
Sanchez interception goes for a defensive touchdown this week,
as the Bills managed to do just that three times last season.

Running Game Thoughts: Rex Ryan has announced his intention to
return the Jets back to their “ground and pound” identity
on offense. As everyone is aware, the Jets brought in backup QB
Tim Tebow to help make that a reality by running a wildcat package
at least a handful of times per game. The o-line must do a much
better job of creating running lanes in order for the Jets to
establish any type of running game, however. Shonn Greene lacks
the lateral movement or the “wiggle” to make things
happen on his own, but can gain yards with his decent burst, power
and straight line speed. If all goes to plan, Green should be
a solid RB2-3 most weeks based purely on volume, albeit Tebow
could end up stealing a good number of his goal-line opportunities.
Second year running back Bilal Powell has earned the 3rd down
back role and looks much better than he did as a rookie where
he ran with hesitancy and showed little power. He’s one
to keep an eye on as the opportunity to shoulder a bigger load
is there if Green fails to step up and deliver a ground game.
The Jets have run well against the Bills traditionally, so Greene
owners should consider him a good bet.

The Bills presented an easy matchup for running backs all of last
season - allowing 139 ypg on the ground while allowing 19 rushing
TDs. They may improve a bit while moving second year defensive
end/tackle Marcell Dareus inside to tackle full time, but the
Jets with Nick Mangold at center should be able to control Dareus
and keep their running game motoring.